


Vanilla and Coffee

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-05-01
Updated: 2004-05-01
Packaged: 2019-05-30 21:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15105422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The day has arrived ...





	Vanilla and Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Vanilla and Coffee**

**by:** Samantha

**Character(s):** Josh, Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Romance  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** The day has arrived ...  
**Author's Note:** I wanted to write this since the writers won’t. 

I pick Donna up at her place. It’s almost 7. We’ve been dating for eleven months; it feels like forever. Let me clarify by saying it’s the good kind of forever. And let me make it clear when I say tonight, I am going to make it forever.

She opens her door. The red dress! She DID keep it! I smile. She looks flawless. Her hair is down. She has a bit of makeup on. I lean in and kiss her lightly on the lips. Vanilla lip gloss. She smells like vanilla too. I want the pillows I have on my bed to smell like that in the morning.

I take a step back. "You look beautiful, Donna."

She smiles. Beautiful. "Thank you, Josh." She grabs her coat.

I take it from her and slide it over her shoulders. I take her left hand in my right. She closes the door and we head to my car.

***

We’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes and our food has just arrived. I reach my hand into my pocket and brush my hand across the small velvet box that rests there. She looks as good as she did on the day I asked her on our first date

\- FLASHBACK: MAY 21ST; THE MALL -

"Thanks for letting me come out and have lunch out here."

I sigh. "Donna, this is nice ... Severe lack of red meat, but nice nonetheless."

"Thanks for sitting with me ..."

"Donna, I wanted to. By the way," I shift my seat a bit, never catching her eyes. "What do you say to having dinner with me tonight?"

"Working late?" She takes a sip of her Diet Coke. Oh to be that straw!

"No. I just ... wanted ..." I sigh, and then catch her eyes. "I meant me and you. Alone. In a, you know, restaurant."

She looks at me for a minute. She studies my face. "Joshua Lyman, are you asking me out?"

I swallow hard.  "Y-yes?"

"Okay."

"Really?"

"Yes really."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"I’ll pick you up at 7."

"My boss makes me work late."

I smile. "I’ll have to have a talk with him."

"Okay." She matches my smile.

\- PRESENT: APRIL 28TH; CHEZ DC -

We hadn’t kissed that night. It didn’t matter. She agreed to see me again, granted she DID say it was only because she wanted to make her boss jealous. I had to laugh at that.

"Josh?" She reaches across the table and touches my hand. "You okay?"

"What? Oh yeah! Dance with me." I stand and escort her to the dance floor.

I circle my arms around her waist as she does the same to my neck. She smiles up at me and then rests her head on my chest. It reminds me of the first time we danced like that.

\- FLASHBACK: JUNE 15TH; STATE DINNER FOR THE PM OF ENGLAND -

"Donnatella, dance with me."

She nods, a smile on her face, and allows me to usher her to the dance floor. We’ve danced before, so it’s not that big of a deal. It’s classic ballroom style. Then I decide I need to be closer. I bring her right hand up and wrap it around my neck. I release her hand and place mine on her hip. I pull her closer. She looks up at me. I have to do it.

"Donna," I whisper, "I’m going to kiss you now."

She nods and closes her eyes. I lean down and gingerly place my lips on hers. I open my mouth and she does the same with a small whimper emanating from her mouth. She tightens her arms around me and pulls herself up to her tippy toes. I want to make the kiss deeper. Slowly, I allow my tongue to enter her mouth. She caresses my tongue with hers. When the time comes, we reluctantly break apart. Damn need for oxygen ...

"Wow," I smile.

She blushes. "Not so bad yourself, Mr. Lyman."

I descend my mouth onto hers again.

\- PRESENT -

My mouth is on hers. The kiss is nothing like the one from the State Dinner. It’s soft, no tongues.

I pull away. It’s now or never. God that sounded so bad! I’m just so nervous. The music stops. I close my eyes and take her hands. She looks confused.

"Donna ..." I begin.

"Josh? Are you okay? You look really pale."

"I’m fine." I slowly move to one knee, looking up at her. Her eyes are wide as she looks down to me. "Donna, I ..." My words are held up by fear. I shouldn’t be afraid. I love this woman and I am NOT going to mess this up.

"Donnatella Moss, I have never felt this way before. I’ve never gone to bed with someone on my mind, seen them in every dream, and then wake up with them on my mind. Now, that happens with you. You’ve changed my life; I’m a better person now. You make me want to wake up every morning. Donna, I want the pillows on the right side of the bed to smell like vanilla ... I want to smell it when I get into the shower. I want to make coffee. I want to make coffee for us. I want to bring you coffee in bed. Oh God, I am making a mess of this." I inhale and exhale slowly. C’mon, Lyman. "Donna, I am so in love with you. It hurts me to say goodnight to you and then go back to my house alone. I want you to be there when I go to bed and when I wake up. I love you with all that I am. Donnatella Moss, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Wow. I am really long winded. I glance to the side as I pull out the velvet box and open it, offering it to her.

Her lip quivers. She brings her right hand to her lips and holds out her left hand, fingers spread apart and shaking. She nodded slowly and whispered, "Yes."

I jump up and envelop her in my arms. "God, Donna. I love you so much. Thank you." I slip the ring on.

"Just remember, you promised to bring ME coffee." We laugh. I kiss her lightly as we head back to the table.


End file.
